"Yes," he said to himself at length. "It was in Jeremiah, and when I get back to my Hotel, I will look it up."
And he found what he wanted, in the 18th Chapter of Jeremiah, where the Lord told the Prophet to go down to the potter's house, that He might tell him there, what he was to say to the Jewish people, who at that time were sadly disobedient, and had turned away from God.
So Jeremiah went down to the Potter's house; and behold, he was making something on his wheel.
But as he made it, the vessel which he was moulding was marred, or spoilt, under his hand; so he turned, and made the piece of clay into another shape, as it seemed good to the potter to make it.
And the Prophet stood and watched him.
Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, and the Lord told him he was to go to the people of Israel and tell them His message. That if they continued in their evil ways, He would take them out of their own land, and from their beloved City, Jerusalem, and He would send them to be Captives in a distant land.
And God said, "O house of Israel, cannot I do with you, as this potter has done with his clay?"
For God loved the Children of Israel, and He wanted to make them good and beautiful, like the potter wanted to make his jars.
But the Children of Israel rebelled against God; and though He had sent great deliverances many times, and brought them right out of the bondage of Egypt, and into the beautiful land of Canaan, they very quickly forgot Him again.
They forgot all His love towards them, and began to serve other gods, which they made with their own hands; and they even sacrificed and burned their own sons on their altars.